Have you ever wished you were more creative?Of course you have!I mean, who hasn't?The problem with creativity is that it can get crushed so easily.A negative remark from a teacher long ago, or an insensitive quip from a friend can be all it takes to stymie your ability to create.Luckily, there are ways to restore your innate creativity.In this post you'll find ten of the ...

Sometimes it's a struggle to find what to write about, don't you agree?A blog is like a hungry beast, always asking for more.Sometimes, you're stuck and just can't get anything onto a page. It happens to me too.A short while ago I was on a flight from Thailand to New Zealand and I was determined to write a post. I opened my laptop, put my hands on the keyboard, and focused hard.Wha...

Last week, your writing seemed fine.Well, maybe not fine, but at least okay.The plot and pacing in your story worked well enough. Your poetry flowed. You like where your nonfiction outline was headed.Then, whammo!Out of nowhere, your imagination runs dry.Today, nothing's right when you write. You struggle with the blank page, clawing for each word. In fact, your entire writing...

Would You Like to Bust Through Your Writing Block?You know what it feels like to have writer's block, don't you?You sit in front of your computer and nothing happens. No ideas come. Your mind is a blank slate.When you think of writer's block, you think of nothingness - a void in which you can't think at all, when you really need to think of something spectacular to write about.Wha...

You want to write, so you sit down to begin.You stare at the blank page or screen. And stare. And stare.After this happens a few times, you come to the conclusion: "I want to write, but I don't know what to write about". You shelve your writing dreams and believe you'll never be a writer.Here are some ideas disguised as quotes to banish blank page blues and get you started:Wr...

[caption id="attachment_9991" align="alignright" width="300"] Would You Like to Get Your Book Noticed?[/caption]Like you, I don't have enough time.Not enough time for my day job, my family and friends, and certainly not enough time to market my new book, Breathing for Two.Oh, did I mention not enough time to write? That too.So the last thing I ever wanted to do was make a trailer f...

Do you want to write with confidence?I’m sure you do. As writers, we yearn to feel solid ground under our feet - and that’s what confidence promises.However …High confidence is the enemy of good writing.In this post, we’ll look at confidence from a Zen point of view, and I’ll introduce you to Beginner’s Mind, which is the ultimate creative state of mind. ...

[caption id="attachment_9631" align="alignright" width="199"] Would You Like to Subdue Your Writing Fears?[/caption]Do you sometimes sit in front of a blank screen and wonder why your brain just isn’t working?I can almost hear your response: “all the time”, “in certain situations”.I think very few writers could respond to that question with a resounding “no”.I’ve ha...

Do you want to write with confidence?This is the first in a series of three posts about how to write with confidence.Dashed hopes. Broken dreams. What ifs. Regrets. Wasted potential.These are the things that writers’ nightmares are made of.If you’re like most budding writers, you know all too well about the fears and doubts that creep into your mind during the process of creat...

Would You Like To Plot Some Fun?Welcome to Scene Stealers, our series of writing prompts designed to flex your creative muscles.We’re thrilled that so many of you are participating in our writing prompt series. (Read the other Scene Stealers here and add one of your own.) In case you’re not familiar with Scene Stealers, here’s how our writing prompts work:We set the scene...